Potatoes are a nutritious staple, and if you eat them often it's worth growing them yourself. Home-grown potatoes are much more flavorful than potatoes you find in the grocery store. The same plants will yield both new and full-sized potatoes, and you'll likely have enough to share with your neighbors. Read on to learn about the best time of year to grow potatoes, how to create the environment they need, and how to get the most out of your potato harvest.

Steps

Method1

Preparing to Grow Potatoes

1

Find out when to plant potatoes in your region. Potatoes do best in cooler weather, but they should not be in the ground during a frost.

If you live in a cool region, plant them after the first frost of spring.

If you live in a warmer region where frost isn't a problem, plant potatoes in the fall, since they might get too hot over the summer.

2

Choose a planting spot for your potatoes. Potatoes are tubers that grow underground with a stalk of green leaves extending above the soil. Choose a spot in your yard with the following qualities:

Full sun. While potatoes shouldn't get overheated, they do need plenty of sun. Choose an area that gets sun for the majority of the day.

Loose, loamy soil. Potatoes like to grow on hills, which you'll create by shaping the soil. Clay-based soils do not work as well for growing potatoes.

An area with excellent drainage. Potatoes should not be planted in waterlogged soil, as it will cause them to rot. Choose an area in your yard that gets good drainage, and make sure the soil is not too wet when it's time to plant the potatoes.

3

Source seed potatoes. Seed potatoes are simply potatoes that have sprouted. You can order certified seed potatoes or buy them from your local farm supply stores.

Don't use potatoes from the grocery store, since they may carry diseases that will affect your crop.

Choose a potato variety based on your preferences. The following varieties are popular choices for home gardeners:

Yukon gold potatoes, which are ready to harvest by mid-season.

Superior potatoes, which are ready to harvest by mid-season.

Red Pontiac potatoes, which are ready to harvest later in the season.

Kennebec potatoes, which are ready to harvest alter in the season.

Method2

Planting the Potatoes

1

Get the seeds ready. About a week before you plan to plant the potatoes, set the seeds in a sunny, warm spot in your home. This will help them start to sprout and prepare them to grow into potato plants.

A couple of days before planting, slice the larger seeds into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Each piece should contain two eyes. The smaller seeds can be planted whole.

If the seeds are viable, a thick callous will form over the cuts to protect them once they have been planted.

2

Get the soil ready. Cultivate the soil in your potato patch by using gardening tools to turn it and remove any rocks and roots. When it is nice and loose,

Mix in some organic compost to make the soil especially hospitable for the potatoes.

Create rows. Dig a trench 4 inches (10.2 cm) wide and 6 inches (15.2 cm) deep, then a second trench of the same dimensions a couple of feet from the first trench.

Create a mound. If you don't have space for rows, you can plant potatoes in mounds. Dig out a circular area about 3 feet (0.9 m) wide and 6 inches (15.2 cm) deep.

3

Plant the seeds. Press the seeds into the trench you dug cut side down, leaving about 12 inches (30.5 cm) between seeds.

Either line them up along rows or place them around the circular trench, depending on the method you are using.

Cover the seeds with 4 inches (10.2 cm) of soil. Don't fill in the trench entirely; it should still be lower than the surrounding area.

Method3

Caring for the Potato Plants

1

Water the plants. Keep them well watered, but not soaked. The soil should always have a little moisture.

Water the plants early in the day so the leaves have time to dry in the sun before nightfall. Leftover moisture on the leaves can lead to diseases.

Make sure the plants are especially well-watered when they are in flower.

2

Hill the potatoes. After about five weeks, the potato stalks will have grown several inches above the soil. Create "hills" by mounding soil over the stalks. You can cover them completely or allow the very top of the stalks to peek through. New potatoes will grow just under the soil, above the seeds potatoes that were planted earlier.

If you planted the potatoes in rows, your "hills" should be connected to make long ridges. If you planted the potatoes in one circular mound, you should end up creating one big hill.

As the stalks continue to grow, hill the potatoes every 2 - 3 weeks. Each time you add another layer to the hill, another layer of potatoes will grow just underneath the surface of the soil.

Method4

Harvesting the Potatoes

1

Harvest new potatoes. New potatoes, which are simply young potatoes that have not reached maturity, can be harvested 2 - 3 weeks after the plants have begun to flower.

Dig carefully into the side of the potato hill. Pick out the largest potatoes and leave the small ones to continue growing.

Replace the soil on the side of the potato hill.

Continue doing this as often as you'd like while the potatoes are growing.

2

Harvest mature potatoes. The potato plants are finished growing when the leaves begin to turn yellow or brown and wither.

Cease watering the plants and allow them to dry in the soil for about a week.

Carefully dig into the hills, making sure not to damage the potatoes, and pull out the mature potatoes as you find them.

3

Dry the potatoes. Mature potatoes should be dried for a couple of days before you store them. This gives them time to develop a tough skin that will protect them from rotting for months.

Let the newly harvested potatoes sit on the surface of the soil for a day or two to dry out in the sun. Don't wash them before allowing them to dry out.

If its rainy outside, allow them to dry out indoors for a few days instead.

4

Eat or store the potatoes. Wash the potatoes and either store them in a cool, dry place or enjoy them immediately.